Do NOT go in there!!!

I walked in my house today to find Matthew with his hands up towards me saying, "mama do not go in your room!" I said, "why not?" He says,"Dada is naked in there, DO NOT go in there!" 

I asked, " well, how do YOU know he is naked?" He says, "Because I am a boy, I can go in there, but YOU are a girl!" As he proudly walked in the manly room to go potty. Lol

Harvest Christian School... and Us.

This year, we started a new school... a journey into private Christian school.

To be honest, I was against it at first. I was raised in public school and I felt like I was a "light in a dark place" sort of thing. I wanted my boys to also shine their little lights around people who needed to feel loved. The problem is, my sons needed love. They had a really tough time ending the last school year and were not treated the way they should be... and my heart was changed. We went to visit Harvest after some friends suggested it... and we instantly felt welcomed and happy about being there. Even then, though, my heart was not fully satisfied with the idea of them attending... until this:

I was standing outside of the boys' room hearing their little voices with them unaware. I heard Joe say to Matthew, "Can you imagine going to a school where the teachers are ALLOWED to tell us Jesus loves us?" That was it. That was the moment it all came together and a rush of peace came through my body. They were going. No matter what it took, they were going.

It turns out... I takes A LOT! ha ha ha Uniforms are, um, expensive; when you dont already have ANYTHING on the list! After about $1000, both boys' uniforms and school supplies were purchased! Wow! BUT... They look SO CUTE in them! (Pics to follow!)

The first day... they both put their full uniform on for the first time. I hadn't allowed them to wear the clothes until it was time for school (It was mostly the shoes that got them excited... they are all black)... They got their full uniform on, with their new "Big guy" backpacks... and they felt cool. They look so much older and so amazingly handsome, and they knew it. :) They walked a bit taller and just felt good about themselves.

After that first day of school... Joe was SO excited. He said, "Mama, I am friends with EVERYONE in my class and I even have a couple of best friends already!" ha ha... So great! Matthew was a bit less excited. He was having a hard time because he isn't quite as outgoing as Joe and didn't feel like he had made as many friends etc. I encouraged him that God made us all different and even if he just makes one new friend each day, that is just fine.

The second day of school... Joe gets into the van and says, "Guess WHAT!!?!".... "Every teacher knows my name!" ha ha ha... Now, where I come from, that's NOT a good thing! lol At Harvest, the teachers really make a great effort to get to know the kids, and even play with them at recess. Joe has really enjoyed a couple of the female teachers who have gone out and played, and he enjoyed bouncing the basketball and chatting with the principle! 

We are now about to finish week two. Matthew had a REALLY tough day a couple of days ago and I even had to leave him in tears. He was missing Prestwood and he wasn't really feeling like he had found his spot yet at Harvest. Turns out, he had gotten his name on the board! ACK! lol I talked to the teacher and she said he was doing great, but he is definitely learning the boundaries of their school... that he wasn't "in trouble" but kind of in a warning zone. I had a talk with him and assured him he was doing just fine, that I was not upset, and that he's just learning. 

Yesterday.... He got in the car after school and was so excited to tell me he was the first one to get his name on the board in GREEN... which apparently means he was one of the first to listen and do what he was told. :) He started to like the class a bit more! ha ha

We had our first day of chapel this tuesday... oh MAN did they look snazzy! 

Soooo... the adventure continues! I'm looking forward to watching their lives develop as they grow at Harvest Christian! :)

Apple Critters

Aaron took Matthew on an adventure, just the two of them... a donut shop began their fun. Matthew chose an Apple Fritter as his treat. Just like me, as a child, he wasn't able to finish it. :) The next day, Matthew grabbed his donut shop bag and said, "Can I finish my Apple Critter?" ;)

Waiting for a play date...

Matthew and I are being goofy while we wait for a play date ... We talked about applesauce (he'd like it red, with no chunks, and cherry flavor added)... We talked about germs and tongues and blood. Then we were seeing how many chins we could have. :) 

Eventually, I called him a germ... He calls me a germ... I call him a germ with three chins... He calls me a germ with four eyes!! I said, "HEY!!!!" Lol 

That's my first time being picked on for being four eyed! :) 

#smartypants #foureyednfabulous

Funnies

Some Facebook Status Updates that I need to remember here too! lol

After I kissed Aaron, I said, "We gotta show these boys how it's done." Then this happened:
Matthew: Uh Mama, I'm living alone.
Me: No you're not.
Matthew: Yes I am
Me: I will spank you, I want grand kids
Matthew: Ok, I'll look for a woman.
lol
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Matthew thought it was hilarious that his name is "Wet-Tam" backwards... So I asked Joe what his name was backwards. He says, "Enthusiastic Oj" (he says it Oj, not O.J.) lol

_________________________________________________________________________________Me: Matthew, what do you have? (thinking he took something)
Matthew: Powers.
Me: How many.
Matthew: 100,000
Me: What kind?
Matthew: I can't tell you that.
Me: Why?
Matthew: I can't tell you that either!
..... All I wanted to know is what he picked up! lol

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Matthew, while riding his bike, "isn't it fun living in the crunchery?... Cuz we have more space to ride around." Lol Crunchery=country

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(This one isn't so "funny" but I want to remember it!)

As we sat at dinner tonight, I noticed a couple of young teen boys in the lobby of the restaurant. They were FILLING their pockets with mints, and asked the lady for a to-go glass of water. I was feeling SO frustrated as I watched them take all of the mints while she wasn't there. I mentioned it to Aaron and he said, "They look like they might be homeless." I took a second to REALLY look at them, and my heart got itself in check and I felt compassion for them. I ended up following them outside and asking if they'd eaten. They were bashful and hiding their mint stash. I said, "I saw you guys getting those mints, and it looked like you were real hungry." I ended up getting to share my heart with them just a bit, and brought them in for dinner... after having them clean up the mess of mints they had made.  It was SO cute to take their orders and see the excitement on their faces. I'm so thankful we were able to give, I'm so thankful my husband helped me to really SEE them, and my boys got to see the Lord's hands in action. It ended up being $25 that changed MY life... I'm praying for those boys tonight and can't seem to get them off of my mind. I wish we could have done more!

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Life is passing by TOO FAST these days. My days are SO full and I'm being blessed by clients being referred and even finding me on Yelp. I've just gotten over the 1500 mark of people who have "liked" my business page... It all seems very surreal to me and I'm often overcome by thankfulness. My work is not easy, well... sometimes it is... but when you work with tiny babies and children... there are unique and special challenges to each and every session. I feel so incredibly blessed to be doing something I love so much.

Today.... I'm heading out on an adventure with Matthew... Joe and Aaron are gone for the weekend, so we're off off and away! Have a great day!

Powers... By, Matthew.

Funny conversations....

Me: Matthew, what do you have? (thinking he took something)
Matthew: Powers.
Me: How many.
Matthew: 100,000
Me: What kind?
Matthew: I can't tell you that.
Me: Why?
Matthew: I can't tell you that either!
..... All I wanted to know is what he picked up! lol

Watch Dog On Duty!!

This morning, my boys and I... and Uncle Ricky were sitting out with our pups. Rick was playing with his watch and Matthew told him, "If you put it on Tiny, he'll be a Watch Dog!".... and then the fun started. :)

His face cracks me up in that last one, "You said WHAT?" lol

Look out folks, don't mess with our property... we have the fierce "Tiny" the watch dog on the property!!

"Can He Understand me?"

Oh man... Matthew, you are so cute!

You just walked in here with Tiny in your arms. He said, "Mama, he is not sitting nicely with me like Scrappy is with Joe." Then you said, "Oh, wait a minute, can he understand me?" I said, "No, he doesn't understand your words." You said, "Oh ok good!"  You were concerned that he'd understand you and you'd hurt his feelings. That was SO cute!

(When we were outside with the dogs, I walked ahead and you said, "Go Get Grandma son!") lol

Introducing Tiny & Scrappy

Yes, we have finally done it... We have adopted two awesome little puppies!

When Joe was about 5, he asked when we could have a dog. I said, "As soon as you're old enough to pick up it's poop." He looked over at his brother, who was 3, and said, "Nah, let's wait until Matthew is old enough." ha ha ha... Well, 4 years later, they are BOTH old enough and Joe has waited long enough that he is even willing to take part in the poop pick up duty.

I decided to start the process by fostering a litter... yes, I really did just say that! LOL I didn't realize quite how crazy I actually was in doing that... but, we've done it and it's fun.... at least with this litter. They have been very sweet, very playful, and have slept quietly at night etc. The clean up is the only downside!

Joe and Matthew have both been very good with their foster pups, never complaining about cleaning up after their messes or helping to walk them and wash them etc. Matthew instantly fell in love with the same little guy that tugged at my heart first as well: Meet Tiny:

Joe, on the other hand, fell in love with the one that most people would have looked the other way from. He's one of those ugly cute kind of critters. He does have a really fun personality... But Aaron was hoping for "Rosebud" (seen above with Tiny).  Please let me introduce you to Scrappy:

Here are some fun photos of the first time they met the pups! They had NO IDEA that we were fostering! :) 

My Dad(s)...

Matthew said something on the way to school today that melted my heart. As soon as I dropped him off, I picked up my phone and did the voice recording thing so I would not forget to write it out in here! It goes something like this:

Matthew: Mama
Me: Yes Buddy?
Matthew: Is your first dad God?
Me: Yep
Matthew: and your second dad is Pop?
Me: Yep
Matthew: So, our first dad is God and our second dad is the one we hug when we pray at night before bed?
Me: Yes buddy.

Awwwwwwwww.
My little tender hearted buddy. His heart gets BROKEN if he doesn't get a hug, we can't ever forget. Joe will get mad when he is in trouble, oh boy does he have "the look" when he's been in trouble (and he knows it, this is no big secret)... but Matthew, after a spankin, will say: can I have a hug?

I'm thankful for "two dads" and a hugger.